The Apprentice
by cielchat
Summary: Set after the fourth war. Sakura has some knack for having Hokages as teachers, and she has a different name for all of them. Kakashi was Sensei. Tsunade was Shishou. Tobirama...she wasn't sure what to call him yet, but it certainly wouldn't be simple.


The water crashed back down and sent waves over the tiny pond.

**It's not going to work, you've tried it, what, eight times?**

_I still have half my chakra left. We can still do it._

Sakura prepared the seals for the Water Dragon release when a voice spoke behind her.

"You're using too much water."

She turned and immediately recognized the man lounging on the rock- if lounging could describe his deadly relaxed stance.

"Nidaime-sama!"

"You need to use the minimum amount of water, or else it grows too heavy and sucks up all your chakra. You have good chakra control. Use that to create a vortex within the dragon so that it has a strong frame, but no excess weight inside. When it hits, it should act like a drill."

Sakura stared at him, split between absorbing and checking over the new information and gaping at the fact that the second Hokage was practically training her.

Frowning slightly at her, the man gestured at the pond behind her in a clear indication that she should probably give it another attempt now. Embarrassment flooded Sakura as she did so, but it left as quickly as a perfect Water Dragon arose from the surface of the pond. Delighted, she sent it at a nearby boulder and smiled when the rock cracked.

"Good," the Second said, coming up to stand beside her. "Now try two, and have them combat each other."

Although Sakura knew better to stare in disbelief, inwardly she trembled a little. _Two? I just managed one!_

Gathering her chakra – it was a relief that the proper form of the jutsu used less chakra than her previous attempts did- she split it and sent the two halves to funnel up water. Controlling them individually was a challenge, as Sakura soon found out when she had them face each other, but once they started destroying each other it was easier to manage the quickly disappearing water.

The dead Hokage knelt by the water and performed his own Water Dragon Jutsu that was significantly bigger than Sakura's. "Keep the chakra in the dragon spinning fast in order for it to hold its form and deliver a more powerful attack. The dragon should not fall apart." His dragon struck at the previously cracked rock and practically decimated it, the water not stopping until all that was left was gravel.

Sakura stood gaping at the rocks, barely noticing the Nidaime turn to leave until he called to her.

"Walk with me, Kunoichi."

It was not until they exited the trees surrounding the pond and stepped onto the meadow path that he spoke again.

"You are the Fifth's apprentice? Haruno Sakura, if I recall correctly."

Sakura bobbed her head, mildly pleased that he recognized her. "Yes I am."

"Is your chakra water natured?"

"Yes, but I've never learned water jutsu before. It's just been medical jutsu and chakra enhanced strength. I just thought maybe I should know a few ninjutsu techniques for good measure."

"And genjutsu?"

"I've trained myself to not get caught in them and to dispel all but Sharingan cast ones, but I don't normally try to set any, sir."

He finally turned his head and looked at her, interest piqued. "Really… That is a formidable task, Haruno-san."

"I've always been able to detect genjutsu for some reason." She said, remembering the chunin exams.

"Do you mind if I set a genjutsu on you? It will not entail pain, I promise."

That surprised Sakura, it really did. The Second Hokage was taking a very large interest in her. "Oh, umm, sure. If you want."

"Thank you." His fur shifted as he brought his hands up in a seal and muttered "Genjutsu: Bringer of Darkness Technique."

Everything disappeared and Sakura was left in complete night. Startled, she brought a hand up to her eyes, almost expecting to find something covering them, but nothing was there. She could not see her hand either, and that scared her.

In fact, if she hadn't been warned beforehand, Sakura would probably be huddled on the ground in a nervous wreck right now. As it was, she was only extremely concerned. And freaked out.

Kneeling, she felt around where the ground should exist. Luckily, the genjutsu did not inhibit her touch and there was plenty of grass to knot her fingers in. Screwing her eyes shut, not that it made a difference, Sakura imagined the meadow as it should look, with blue skies and buttercups, and poured chakra into her brain, snapping the barrier that held the genjutsu in place. Light flooded through her eyelids, and she stood shakily to see the field as it had been.

"Impressive."

"Thank you, sir."

"You can stop calling me sir."

"Yes, Hokage-dono."

A hint of a grin crossed the Nidaime's lips as he turned back onto the path that led to the village.  
>"What position do you hold in the hospital, Haruno?"<p>

"Third in command, Hokage-dono."

"You can stop calling me Hokage-dono."

"Yes, Nidaime-sama."

The two walked back to the village at a civilian pace, talking of village leadership and jutsus and proper addresses while the sun set.  
>…<p>

"So I'm not entire sure I understand. How does Edo-tensei provide the summoned person with an exact copy of his or her preferred armour or clothing?" Sakura inquired, holding the door open for the Nidaime.

"Likely the same way every person in this universe wears the exact same thing day after day, only changing for certain events or during time skips."

"Point well taken. Tea?"

"Yes, please. Haruno, your apartment is horrifically lacking in traps."

"How do you even know that? You've been inside all of one minute!" Sakura called from the kitchen, and came out with a tea set tottering in her arms. "What if my traps are too subtle for you to comprehend?"

"You have one genjustsu over each window that has two weak points for a jounin level nin and nine for any Sharingan bearer. Your physical traps include stacks of books rigged to fall, trip wire, and fly paper."

Sakura blinked and dropped a teacup on the carpet. "…Maybe…."

"It is a good thing I invented a village surveillance system to keep an eye out for people breaking into houses, yes?"

"Naruto managed to memorize the camera routine and avoid it when he was seven. Sugar?"

The Nidaime scoffed and dropped two teaspoons of sugar into his cup. "Cameras? I am speaking of ANBU."

"You created ANBU?"

"I created most of the mechanics of this village, including the hospital, mission grade, police force-"

"-yes, and the police force turned out so well-"

"-chunin exams, ANBU, and so forth. Apparently the police force messed up and led to the massacre of the Uchiha Clan. I did not see that coming."

"Only a couple people did, so I hear. Senju-sama, back in the matter of Edo-tensei. Is you appearance an illusion or a henge, or is that actually your body?"

"The chakra required for the jutsu copies the DNA in the sample from the person who is being summoned and configures the cells of the sacrifice to match the DNA of the summoned so that you essentially have the body of the person you are summoning, and then it calls the soul into the body to revive it."

"And provides it with accurate clothing."

"Yes."

"So you could take that clothing off and it wouldn't disappear."

"Yes, I removed my sandals at the door, see?"

"But you kept your armour on? Isn't it uncomfortable?"

Tobirama sighed. "Kunoichi, I will take off my armour if that will make you satisfied."

A pleased smirk crossed Sakura's face as the Nidaime unlaced the blue plates and pulled them over his head. She leaned over the tea and tapped a finger on one of the pieces.

"This is strong, isn't it? I bet it could block a few hits from me. Senju-sama, we should spar sometime. I want to test this edo tensei of yours."

"You can stop calling me Senji-sama, Sakura."

Sakura looked up and her breath caught a little at the burn in her guest's ruby eyes.

"What should I call you?" she asked, with a slight hesitation.

"Tobirama, kami, I don't care, as long as you scream it," he murmured, and crushed her lips to his own.  
>Afterwards, Sakura was surprised to find that her tea set hadn't been knocked over at all, but it probably had something to do with the way Tobirama picked her up effortlessly without pausing in kissing her, and carried her to her room, guided by the hissed directions between their lips. She was glad nothing had happened, of course, considering the careless abandon with which she had left the teapot alone on the floor.<p>

**Outer.**

Tobirama dropped her on her bed and placed his arms on either side of her hips. He moved to-

**Outer!**

_What?_

**Wake up- this is a genjutsu.**

Sakura's eyes snapped to the Tobirama before her, who was staring at her quizzically, and without hesitation she bit through the corner of her lip and tasted blood. Within seconds her vision shifted and the Lord Second was sipping tea before her, a studious expression plastered on his face.

"What did you just do?"

"I told you to stop calling me Senju-sama," he replied, but the corner of his mouth twitched.

"_What. The hell. Did you. Just. Do."_

"I cast a genjutsu to have you live your most recent daydream. My apologies for not giving any warning, but I wanted to see if you could break out of a genjutsu quickly without knowing about it."

"My daydream- what- did you see any of it?" Sakura almost dropped her teacup in surprise.

"No."

She stared at him for a full ten seconds, before deciding that challenging a legend would not be a good idea. "If you were a lesser man, I would have beat you to a pulp by now."

"If I were a lesser man, I would not have cast a genjutsu upon you in such a fashion," Tobirama returned. "What did your daydream entail of?"

Sakura fought back a blush. "That is not something I will allow you to demand from me."

Tobirama raised an eyebrow. "I see. But it was extraordinary to the point that you could recognize it within a few minutes?"

"Well…yes, it was extremely odd, but the transition was good, and it took quite a bit of time to gain a level of clearheadedness to break the genjutsu."

**Yeah, cuz you a thirsty ho.**

_Shut the hell up, inner._

**Not until you give me credit.**

_You want him to know about you?_

**I want that fine ass ninja as Sensei, if you know what I mean.**

" –broke the illusion quite quickly. Did your sensei teach you any genjutsu techniques?"

Sakura quickly shoved inner into a box and tried to recollect what the Second had said.

"Not really, he was more of a strategy type of teacher than actual techniques."

**Unless you were Sasuke. Really dropped the ball on that one, didn't he?**

_Get the fuck out._

"So you have not had a genjutsu instructor?" Tobirama drained his tea and set it to the side, his fingers steepling.

"No."

"You are eighteen?"

"Seventeen."

Silence fell, and Sakura poured both more tea. Fiddling with her fingers under the Second's heavy gaze, she glanced around the room at all the piles of junk left over from mission. She really should have gotten rid of those old scrolls.

"I would like," Tobirama began, relaxing his posture, "to teach you a number of things, if you will agree to that. I won't take time away from your hospital work, but I will ask Tsunade to release you from Hokage assistant duties. Do you accept?"

**Hell yas! Sensei teach me that water jutsu tongue skills-**

"Yes, I would like that." Sakura carefully arranged her face as to not betray he- or her Inner's- emotions.

"Perfect. We start tomorrow at seven. Same pool as this morning." The former Hokage rose and gently set his empty tea cup down.

Sakura narrowed her eyes. "I have the five o' clock shift."

"No you don't." Tobirama strapped on his armour.

"You planned this."

"Not in great detail."

"For how long have you been inquiring about my work schedule?" Sakura held the door open, and the silver haired man stepped out and stalled on the doorstep.

"I shall reveal that when you reveal the contents of your daydream, new student."

He turned to go, and heard the kunoichi mutter behind him, "I'll find out long before you do, _sensei._"

A smirk crossed his face. Of course she could question Tsunade of his inquiries, but he had been lying. He knew of every image the genjutsu entailed.

**Yayyyyyy, another incomplete story by cielchat to join the horde of unfinished plots! This was originally going to be part of a larger story that centred completely around Tobirama, but that one was taking too long, so they'll be separated. Well, I guess I could call this a one-shot in order to feel less guilty about not updating for millions of years, but never fear! There is more of this coming.**

**cielchat**


End file.
